Maharashtra Announces Paid Public Holiday on January 15 for Municipal Corporation Polls
Pune, 9th January 2026: With municipal corporation elections scheduled across Maharashtra, the state government has announced a paid holiday on January 15, 2026, the polling day, to ensure voters are not prevented from exercising their democratic rights due to work commitments.
The decision applies to 29 municipal corporations, covering major urban centres such as Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Nagpur, among others. The government said the move is aimed at boosting voter turnout in densely populated urban regions.
According to the official notification, the paid holiday will be applicable to government and semi-government offices, public sector undertakings, corporations, boards, banks, local bodies, commercial establishments and private companies functioning within the election limits. Employers have been directed to ensure that employees’ wages or salaries are not deducted for availing the holiday, as mandated under Section 135(b) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The order also provides relief to voters who are registered in municipal constituencies but are employed outside their polling area. Such voters, the notification states, must be allowed sufficient time to travel and cast their votes.
For organisations engaged in essential services or round-the-clock operations, where operations cannot be fully suspended, the government has instructed managements to grant a voting window of at least two to three hours to eligible employees.
Polling will be held in 29 municipal corporations, including Brihanmumbai (BMC), Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar, Panvel, Nashik, Malegaon, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Kolhapur, Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad, Ichalkaranji, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nanded-Waghala, Jalna, Parbhani, Latur, Amravati, Akola, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Dhule, Jalgaon, Ahilyanagar, Ulhasnagar and Navi Mumbai.
The State Election Commission has directed strict compliance with the holiday order and warned that legal action will be initiated against any employer or establishment found violating the directive.
Meanwhile, election officials said logistical preparations are in the final stages, with polling staff deployment and electronic voting machine distribution progressing as planned. Voters have been encouraged to take advantage of the holiday and participate in the civic elections, which officials described as a crucial component of local self-governance.
